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The scandinavian pioneering role in school reforms has a long tradition. It is not only the comprehensive-school-system which makes Finnland a top-performer. Many countries are trying to emulate Finland and more equal opportunities in education can be a good progress. But why is Finnland a top-performer? In my opinion it could be PISA which is responsible for the comparison of school systems. PISA is criticized by many researchers, so first we have to scrutinize whether Finland can be a prototype.

According to the latest scores of PISA, it seems like we all start to search how China and South Corea is doing in their education systems. As for the question why Finland is a top-performer, there are several aspects to explain it. I think, initially, teacher education comes first and equality and equity in education follow this. Therefore they show up as top thanks to PISA. Their school tradition, history of both economics and education, population and mentality of learning could be obstacles to make it as a prototype and compare with some countries.

My aim was not to call Finland as a top-performer into question. I want to criticize PISA and their purposes. For example the test-structure are determining the results, so if sth. would be changed, another country will be the top-performer. I found an interesting critique: http://www.univie.ac.at/pisaaccordingtopisa/pisazufolgepisa.pdf But maybe I failed the original topic, because that article doesn't discuss PISA.

We had the same conversation here with my colleagues from Belgium and Netherlands the outcomes that PISA is measuring. It is after all measuring certain outcomes that OECD wants to measure. We also have to be careful in taking Finland as a model and such comparative approach just like mentioned in a series of reports that Christian shared.

PISA is a big goal for policy makers. They want to success even they don't believe, because it makes country popular as seen above:) We have to focus on real indicators like development... And here is an infographic about Finland's educational system: http://slowrobot.com/i/43651#

In my oppinion, we couldnot seek the other countries' educational systems, at the begining of possible educational reform process. Before this, students profile and the reasons behind the problems have to be analysed; such as economic and social problems, teacher's competencies, subject matter, schools' physical equipments, etc. As I mentioned, before analysing other countries systems, we have to analyse our educational systems indetail and clearly. From that point, solutions can be seeked and useful after determination fo the problems..

Now I understand your point, Christian. Thanks for sharing that pdf, I think that is related with the article since it discusses the whole structure of PISA which is showed as a scale. And for sure,that might happen that another country would be top according to another kind of testing but still there is a hard fact about Finland and their school culture. I have seen that infographic before but I feel the need to correct some issues there according to my stay in Finland. For instance, it says that there are no seperate classrooms for accelerated learning or special education but there are many of them. As for homeworks, this saying of having rarely homework is not actually reflecting the reality. They do have homeworks but the definiton of it might cause misunderstandings;)

Thank you Sinem for correcting the infographic's assumptions. I would like to hear more about your experiences in Finland.

I deeply believe the power of motivation to learn and classroom technology can be used to enhance students' motivation in learning of the specific content. Still, it is open to debate effective use of technology in classrooms, especially in our country. To deal with this inefficiency of classroom technology, we need to focus on teachers' technology literacy and try to develop this literacy.

Hi Özlem Hoca, BBC news you shared with us is very advisable to our friends. (1) I agree that computers may have the possibility to be distractors for learning and they may be abused by some students. Students may prefer to use computers for activities other than for school activities. When I was an intern teacher, I wanted to show how a literature search is performed to my 20, 9th grade "Project" (noncredit course) students in 2006, I ended up running from one student to another because as I leave him/her with his/her search, s/he began to sign in facebook and their emails. (2) I also agree that plagiarism may occur in homeworks due to internet resources. (3) Another interesting opinion in this news is that "We're training the students to use technology which hasn't yet been invented." We are training the students to the future that is not defined, not yet clear.

I think integrating technology in classrooms is inevitable as computers have been being used in lots of areas in the world and it is a little bit optimistic to assume that education will escape from this "invasion". Today's students live with technology and indeed, technology can enhance the representation of a topic, communication among learners, eliminate time and space limitations in reaching information, etc. The article says that "frequent" use of computers in schools is more likely to be associated with lower results. Instead of frequent use, one should know how one can healthily get benefit from computers, when to use it, how to use it, when not to use it, etc. Those questions are still major questions in modern educational science research. Findings from such research can enhance the positive impact of technology in classrooms.

Having read this week's reading assignment, a part of which focuses on this particular result, I felt the need to comment on your share Özlem hocam. It is mentioned in Chapter 1: Introduction that "in the 1980s, cognitive scientists like Roger Schank and Seymour Papert made claims that computers would transform the schools and learning. This was a rather radical claim and it helped form a strong consensus among parents, bussiness community, politicians that getting computers into schools was a must. During 1990s, installing computers and the Internet in schools was a major trend. By 2003, 95% of all the schools in the US had their computers and were connected to the Internet. However, the impact of this huge investment was highly disappointing. Studies had shown computer use was not correlated with improved student performance. When the reserachers began to study to find the reason, they found out that the computer use in schools was not based on learning sciences; instead, they were being used as an extension of instructional classroom. By this I mean, bringing technology to the classrooms was not enough without changing the structure of instruction. Educational software has been based on instructionist theories, with the computer performing roles that are traditionally performed by the teacher. Teachers and students were not aware of how to use those computers efficiently. Students read the texts on the computers instead of reading them on books.Learning scientists continue to emphasize the powerful role that computers can play in transforming all learning. But they reject instructionalism and behaviorism. Instead, they present a new vision of computers in schools. They suggest that computer should take on a more facilitating role, helping learners have the kind of experiences that lead to deep learning."

This change in the system is very major, I agree with you. Once again we as educators are facing implementations without needing any pilot testing or making use of any kind of sound research. I also read that there will be open-ended questions but I am not sure. But if this is the case, we have one other reason to worry about maybe; the quality of these new questions.

I am afraid that there is no other country in which incessant testing is applied more Turkey. Every year, something is changed by the Ministry of Education, no need to mention about the examination system. They change the system without even measuring or analyzing the results or outcomes. Deep modifications need to be implemented to improve the infrastructure of the education system. However, in our "unique" political environment How???

If you ever use it in your classes, please let us know Selçuk :) A friend mentioned that a similar 4D app has great implications for biology. I was wondering if it also has implications for other branches of science.

Chemistry and technology... Who you gonna call: SELÇUK :) That's an interesting app, however I think it's not enough on its own to teach anything. It still requires appropriate curriculum to make use of it. So, maybe we can think about how to use this technology as best as we could. What kinds of activities can be created?

There are other applications like that, for example Anatomy 4D for biology classes. Maybe your friend could use that application, Ceren. There are also Animal 4D+ and Space 4D+ for another lessons as I know. I also see the studies of Bilal Özçakır who is research assistant at Ahi Evran University. He develop some applications for his doctoral thesis with Erdinç Çakıroğlu at our university. I use that application at my classes at university and even at that age, students enjoy it very much. Even after lesson, they continue to use it and the effect of it at smaller age can be more motivating, I think. Beside like Armağan said, it is beneficial only with the appropriate curriculum and also well-designed lesson, I think. The lack of micro level understanding can develop with these applications at chemistry. Thanks for the jingle, also :)

I tried this application Selcuk. It s really entertaining :)

I am happy that you find it entertaining. When I first use it, I cannot leave my mobile phone for a while :)

Hocam, I think this guy has an introvert personality. If he doesn't, perhaps he took a course from a teacher who made him feel fed up with pair and group work activities :-)) I have read the comments of other people under the article and I liked the one made by Doug. As Doug stated, Donald Clark compares different perspectives in a linear manner, but these thinkers represent different developmental periods of the theory. So he should have made comparisons considering the development of the theory to be more plausible. For his overall comments at the end of his article, I can say that what he mentions ("Those with good digital literacy, literacy, numeracy and other skills will have the social support, especially at home") is not something peculiar to the results of this theory. We used to have more segragations in the societies when former theories were dominant. So his comment doesn't seem logical to me. He also mentions that some learners like studying alone, which is not supported by this theory. Of course sometimes we need some isolation to think, analyze and synthesize, but this doesn't make us forget about the advantages of peer learning. There is a saying, "two heads are better than one". As we discussed in the classroom, we learn better when we are cognitively engaged and in my opinion, "engagement" requires contradictory or contributory comments made by other members of the society. It doesn't take place without interactions. To sum up, the theory may have some limitations, but I prefer it to the older ones :-)

This is an absolutely amazing and inspiring video. After watching video, I strongly believed that barriers we have to overcome have emotional bases instead intellectual ones. Maybe if I follow 4 steps properly and focus on ı can even play guitar. In fact, it seems to me devotion and removing practise barriers are the keys to success and manageable, then why not give a try.

I liked the song in the video very much and the graphics showing the relationship between the time and skill or how we are good and the practice. However, I am not sure that 20 hour is applicable to everything to be learned. In the four steps, we can relate self-correction part to self-coaching as mentioned in the readings.

The four steps mentioned in the video have really good implications for the learners. Self correction and removing the barriers are especially important to learn anything new. However,I agree with Burcu, 20 hours of practice is not enough to acquire some kind of skills. Can anybody learn a foreign language in 20 hours? Kaufman reminded the fact that early stage of skill improvement is very fast but being an expert takes long time and effort. It is a very common phenomenon we come across in language classes. After students become intermediate or upper intermediate, they have difficulties to improve in English to be advanced learners. Expertise requires patience, motivation and continuous hard work. Students need to be patient and practice more but under the stress of proficiency exam they feel hopeless. Maybe, teachers should inform them about the stages of skill acquisition so that learners will know that what they experience is just a part of the skill acquisition process.

DBR advocates appropriately respond to concerns from conservative research methodologists with metaphors reminiscent of the apocryphal story of the drunk looking for his lost keys under the streetlight where he can see, rather than in the dark alley where they were dropped:)

Again from the article: "Innovators fascinated by a particular type of design approach (such as wireless mobile devices as a means of ubiquitous access to information) often start with a predetermined "solution" and seek educational problems to which it can be applied (to a person with a hammer, everything looks like a nail), a dubious basis for DBR":)

and they have different interests.

The inherent curiosity in human beings is well explained, science education is kind of lucky in that sense maybe, one of our essentials is already here for us.

I exactly agree this sentence. there is a drawing related to this issue..:D http://mommacommaphd.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/facebook_460632723.jpg

I totally agree, children manage to see the things from so different perspective from us that I always surprised with their way of thinking in my practice classess. I think every children born with the instinction of curiosity which is a gift for human beings. As a teacher we should trigger that force instead of putting barriers front of fit.

I also follow that blog, so interesting publishes she has. For this one, Children have no idea about their environment for the first sight. So they wonder, explore, make sense of it and try to get into use. Isn't it similar with the process of scientists? And they are maybe even more creative than those. Wish we keep the child in ourselves as long as possible:)

I liked this source too much. As the role of the teacher: "The instructor's role moves from providing and structuring the information and knowledge through lectures and presentations to modeling, coaching, and scaffolding learners as they use information and create knowledge to solve contextual real-life problems". I ask myself: To what extent, I create such authentic environments in my classes.

That is such an inevitable and reasonable concern; the extent we imply authentic environments in our classrooms. Sometimes it is for the sake of applying without including the essential elements of authentic learning. Time concerns or motivation and knowledge levels of teachers might be some issues related.

Years ago a seminar that I attended called "brain-based learning" discussed about similar topic. It was the first time that I had learned about "when learning starts". And this video reminds me of the seminar and it is like adventures of a fetus very open to learning. It is really interesting that a fetus can understand each and every language besides its native one. And as you mentioned this video shows how much we learn in womb, which means learning starts with a fetus in womb and goes till the end of life.

Yes, it really is interesting and hard to understand for me as well. There are various factors involved in our learning process for sure, but frankly I did not imagine the time before birth. "brain-based learning" sounds like an efficient keyword to achieve new knowledge on this topic.

It is really interesting to see that fetuses behave like the photocopies of their mothers. They can nearly comrehend everthing during their life in their mothers' belly. I think this video implies many ideas for the improvement of future generations and of course warnings and precautions for the pregnant women.

I remember many years ago I read a science fiction book about a game which was created to select the President. (Spoiler - The winner of the game was a 13 old year boy:)) Actually games are very interesting and will be very useful for education but the main problem here is the nature of market and the cost. Last week I was reading an article about mobile learning, I think this quote is meaningful for games too "In any case, hardware devices and technical systems are all without exception designed, manufactured, and marketed for corporate, retail, or recreational users. Any educational uses of the devices and the systems are necessarily parasitic and secondary." We have to consider education as "building the nation, building our future" then we can afford the cost and then educational games, devices will not be secondary...